This invention relates generally to data processing systems, and more particularly to docking apparatus which removably receives and retains a portable data collection terminal and which generally includes communications and power terminals which become coupled to such a portable data collection terminal upon insertion of a portable data collection terminal into the docking apparatus.
The invention relates also to apparatus for and methods of retaining a data terminal within the docking apparatus and to apparatus for and methods of establishing and maintaining communicative contact with respective communications and power terminals within the docking apparatus.
Hand-held, portable data collection terminals are well known as practical workstations which operators may readily port to various work sites and collect business transaction or inventory data at such work site. The data collection terminals are therefore essential elements of many business systems, updating central processing units of these systems. Communication between the portable data collection terminals and the central data processing unit may be provided on a continuous basis via RF data transceivers, or by other equivalent wireless communications links. In many applications, batch data transfer from the data collection terminals to the respective information systems may be more practical and may be preferred.
Portable data collection terminals are typically powered by self-contained power sources, rechargeable batteries, for example. The sizes or capacities of batteries are desirably chosen to permit each respective, portable data collection terminal to operate throughout an entire workday. At the end of an operational cycle, or at the end of a period of use, a data collection terminal may be inserted into a docking device, generally known as terminal dock. When a data collection terminal is inserted into a terminal dock, or simply dock, the power source of the inserted data collection terminal becomes coupled to a battery recharging circuit. Recharging periods may be used efficiently to transfer collected data from the data collection terminal to a central data processing unit of a respective business system, and to update the data collection terminal with data and instructions as may be needed during a subsequent use period.
The ability to pre-load a set of instructions into a data collection terminal before each use offers an opportunity to make the data collection terminals more task-specific, and hence, more user friendly. For example, a set of merchandise identification numbers and related instruction information may be transferred to the data collection terminal during a recharging period. During a subsequent use period an operator may be instructed by such transferred instructions to collect inventory data on the respective items of merchandise based on the specific merchandise identification numbers or codes which had been pre-loaded and which may appear in sequence as the desired inventory information is being collected. After inventory quantities on all preloaded items have been collected, the data collection terminal may inform the operator that the task is completed, and to return the data collection terminal to a docking device for a data transfer of the collected inventory information to the central processing unit.
The transfer of specific batches of information via a dock may also advantageously apply to other operations, such as to route delivery operations, for example, where a user of the data collection terminal may be out of radio contact with a fixed RF receiving station of a central data processing system. In general, a docking device is generally regarded to be a most desirable, if not necessary, complement for a portable data collection terminal.
Usefulness of data collection terminals is enhanced with an increased accessibility to the docking devices and with more facilitating docking devices with positive data collection terminal locking devices which still provide for ready, one-handed and effortless removal of the data collection terminals from the docking devices.
Much engineering effort has already been directed to improving existing terminal docks. However, an inherent conflict seems to exist between a desire to reduce the amount of effort needed to insert or remove a data collection terminal into or from a dock, and a need to assure establishing proper terminal connections between electrical and communications terminals of an inserted data collection terminal and corresponding terminals of the dock. For example, it has been found that a single defective connection in a charge monitoring circuit may not only destroy a battery of the data collection terminal, but may actually destroy the data collection terminal itself. Also, intermittent breaks in data connections between a docked data collection terminal and its respective dock may cause errors to be transferred to a central processing unit, or may cause erroneous work requests to be transferred to the data collection terminal. Particularly in route operations, where such erroneous information may not be discovered until a driver has driven many miles, any data loss to or from a data collection terminal due to contact bounce or bad communications connections is clearly unacceptable.